Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
After seeing videos it appears to me that it was not the roof material that caught fire. The fire was inside the building. The roof performed as expected of ETFE and did not spread the fire.
Chester Zoo Fire in the Chester Zoo Monsoon Forest habitat
- Thread starter ian999
- Start date
Even if the orangs, gibbons and macaques were relocated, the birds are clearly harder to catch with a fire raging nearby with heavy smoke too. I feel for the keepers as there would be very little they could do to get the birds out. The same applies for the gharials and they don't have anywhere to go.
I've seen reports 40+ animals were safely moved but the majority of that is probably the mammals.. Hoping for the best nevertheless
I've seen reports 40+ animals were safely moved but the majority of that is probably the mammals.. Hoping for the best nevertheless
I'm sure there will be a thorough investigation. Not much one can say until then.
Maisie
Well-Known Member
Those pictures are simply heartbreaking. The bird species are our main area of interest at Chester. There are so many beautiful and characterful species in Monsoon. Seeing the interior like that is incredibly sad. Hoping against hope that some can be saved but seeing the devastation and knowing what the weather is like today ... just gutting.
taun
Well-Known Member
All that wood in the orang viewing area? The rest probably not as it was fake rock and plants
It's a sad situation unfortunately it sounds like not many of the Bird Species have made it but by the looks of some of the photographs now appearing on the internet their will be a long and very deep investigation from the health and safety point as well as looking into the design (as usual with things like this).
Hope all the keepers and staff are ok and the animals that have been saved hope they can get them rehoused asap so as not to suffer anymore than what they currently have (with smoke and fire around them that is)
Hope all the keepers and staff are ok and the animals that have been saved hope they can get them rehoused asap so as not to suffer anymore than what they currently have (with smoke and fire around them that is)
Zooreviewsuk
Well-Known Member
Just to pose a hypothetical question, but the birds in the Monsoon Forest, if they flew out the building whilst the roof was on fire, would they be able to survive in the British climate if they did get out, or would most of these need tropical temperatures to survive?
The orangs will hopefully be able to share again in RoRA, looks like they may have to be there for the forseable future,
All depends on damage to the entire building, may be possible to
All depends on damage to the entire building, may be possible to
Some maybe able to survive, for a short while, bit food will be the biggest issue, most are fruit eaters, not slot of fruit trees around Chester.
Zooreviewsuk
Well-Known Member
I appreciate that, but I was thinking if some ended up in gardens locally looking for food, they may be able to be captured and returned to safety. Just trying to think of positives :/
Good people of Chester, we implore you to turn on your patio heaters, put fruit on your bird tables, and muzzle your moggies. Your local zoo needs YOU!
"Thank you for the overwhelming messages of goodwill following the fire in our Monsoon Forest building; they have been of great comfort to our teams.
Many of you have expressed that you would like to come along to the zoo to show your support, so we are able to confirm that the zoo will be open to visitors tomorrow, Sunday 16 December. The Monsoon Forest building and Islands zone will remain closed as our conservationists and vets continue to provide expert care and attention for the species there. The Lanterns event will go ahead tomorrow evening (Sunday 16 December) as planned."
Most recent update on their website. I'm surprised only the islands are closed
Many of you have expressed that you would like to come along to the zoo to show your support, so we are able to confirm that the zoo will be open to visitors tomorrow, Sunday 16 December. The Monsoon Forest building and Islands zone will remain closed as our conservationists and vets continue to provide expert care and attention for the species there. The Lanterns event will go ahead tomorrow evening (Sunday 16 December) as planned."
Most recent update on their website. I'm surprised only the islands are closed
Good news that they're able to get up and trading so soon. While it's a shame that the fire has hit something so new and expensive, being in Islands at least means it's easy to create quite a wide exclusion zone by just fencing off two paths.
taun
Well-Known Member
Why? It makes perfect sense, Islands is isolated from the main zoo easy to cordon off.
Judging from the photos, it certainly doesn't look well on the bird front, but if they did manage to catch at least some of them, I'm sure that zoo have enough off-space to house them, at leat temporarily until they find a new home for them in other exhibits/zoos.
How devastating. Which bird species were housed in Monsoon Forest aside from the Rhino Hornbills? I vaguely remember fruit-doves, grosbeaks, and Victoria Crowned Pigeons? The crowned pigeons would be the “easier” ones to catch in theory but I dread to think about all the others.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
I have no doubt that the keepers are setting feeding stations around the property to attract the birds. The facility is relatively large and the majority of birds will not stray far. It is the overnight temperatures that will be the worry short term
Grosbeak starling
Victoria crowned pigeon
Superb fruit dove
Golden heart dove
Emerald dove
White-rumped shama
Chestnut-backed thrush
Black-browed barbet
Asian fairy bluebird
Scaly-breasted bulbul
White-naped pheasant pigeon
Nicobar pigeon
The barbet, bulbuls and starlings will be the most severe losses as these are the only specimens in the zoo representing those species...
Thanks for that. It appears Chester are the only holders of Black-browed Barbet and the only holders in the UK of Scaly-breasted Bulbul.